Posts Tagged
freemium
Like many people, I grew up watching The Wizard of Oz on television in all its technicolor glory. Who would have thought that almost 75 years after it was first released it would now be available to play in 3D on this high tech gadget we call an iPad, huh?
Developed by newcomer Spooky Cool Labs and licenced by Warner Bros.,The Wizard of Oz takes you on a magical adventure through Oz, following the original storyline that we all know and love, but with a slight modern-day twist. Hit the jump for a nostalgic walk down memory lane, but beware of those pesky Flying Monkeys!
Back in 2011, iPad.AppStorm contributor James Watts compiled a list of 15 of the best freemium iPad games gracing the App Store at that moment in time. Since then, freemium has gone from strength to strength, prompting many more software companies to ditch the premium revenue model in favor of giving away the core functionality of an app for free.
Here, we have rounded up ten of the very best iPad games that sport this particular revenue model exceptionally well. Read on to discover iPad.AppStorm’s all-time freemium favorites!
Freemium games are very popular in the App Store at present, allowing people to experience a major title without necessarily making a purchase. One such title to came to my attention is Wonder Zoo — an app that draws you in with its well-designed graphics and intriguing storyline.
In Wonder Zoo, a poacher has snuck into the reserve and stolen all of the animals. Whilst making his escape, his vehicle broke down and the animals have fled into the wilderness and are unable to be found. Now the Ranger needs your help in bringing them back home where they belong. Are you up for the challenge? Let’s find out!
Reports of kids racking up huge bills through in-app purchases (IAP) is certainly en vogue in the mainstream media at the moment. The tech media, too. When the story ingredients include young children, the (on occasion) largest company on the planet and mammoth credit card bills for normal, hardworking parents then you’re guaranteed eyes on the page. The conclusion being that Apple is, after all, evil.
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Freemium apps have become something of a boom recently. Some of the most popular games on the App Store go by this model, whereby the actual app is “free” but to progress through the game, you’ll need to spend some real cash to actually get anywhere. Hannah Richards wrote an excellent piece arguing why freemium apps are great but now it’s time for me to vent my anger at them and why I won’t be downloading any in the future.
Before I start my rant, let me say that I was a fan of freemium games. I used to play quite regularly on The Sims: Freeplay, The Simpsons: Tapped Out and Pocket Planes (all of which received highly favourable reviews on this site) and I enjoyed it until I realised that I was actually wasting my life, money and, indirectly, my university degree trying to make my Sims to fall in love and get married or get my Bearclaw-P to Stockholm to deliver a valuable batch of screws.
I have reviewed a number of freemium apps during my time here at iPad.AppStorm, and have come to notice that this particular revenue model tends to polarize opinion, with people either strongly for or strongly against it. I fall into the former camp, and firmly believe that the freemium model is a worthwhile addition to the App Store. Want to know why? Hit the jump to find out!
There’s been a lot of press about the freemium business model recently, whereby the basic game is free but users have to pay for in-app purchases that give them extra game currency or allow them to complete levels quicker, and it seems that most game developers are progressing toward this model — EA being a notable example. The Verge recently made an interesting point about Real Racing 3, in that although it’s an enjoyable game it has been completely “ruined” by in-app purchases, as they are needed for everything and progress through the game is extremely slow.
Well, now it’s over to you. What exactly do you think of the freemium business model? Does it make gameplay more enjoyable (in that you can speed certain aspects up through purchases) or does it just rack up your iTunes bill massively? Let us know in this week’s poll on the right!
And stay tuned for iPad.AppStorm’s debate, which is coming up later this month, where we’ll look both sides of freemium games — both the good and bad (and perhaps, the ugly).
Most of us grew up watching superheroes on TV, and have probably even imagined being one at some point. However, the chances are that you have not yet considered what it would be like to actually manage a superhero, let alone a whole team of them!
Introducing Middle Manager of Justice, a freemium simulation game where you can do just that, recruiting and training superheroes to fight crime and save lives. Have you got what it takes to be Middle Manager? Find out after the jump!
Since the release of The Sims back in 2000, the franchise has gone from strength to strength, becoming arguably the most successful simulation game of all time. However, with Electronic Arts’ latest offering, The Sims FreePlay, the usual format has been jettisoned in favor of a freemium revenue model.
For those who have been living under a rock for the past 13 years, The Sims is a popular life simulation video game series in which you, the player, must create and take care of virtual people throughout the duration of their lives, from birth until death. Let’s find out more, shall we? (more…)
Recent times have seen an explosion in the number of iOS games released which fall into the ’freemium’ category. This type of game is free to play, but will often tempt you to purchase extra, ‘luxury’ currency from within the app. You can spend this luxury currency to obtain better or rare items, advance through levels with quicker progress or just make the game a whole lot easier.
Typical freemium gameplay consists of performing ‘farming’ actions, these are actions where the player must return to the game a set time later to receive their reward. Generally, this reward will consist of experience points to increase the players level and/or some form of currency. Examples of such actions include; collecting rent, tending to animals, or even the literal farming of crops such as in the widely popular ‘FarmVille’. Completing these actions will allow the player to level up, unlocking new content and keeping the player interested in the game.
Read on to discover 15 of the best freemium games for the iPad…
